By DAN VALENTI

That’s the only possible answer for the Governor’s Council regarding the nomination of State Rep. Chris “No Show” Speranzo to the lifetime appointment to a $110,000 a year-plus-benefits, no-show job as clerk magistrate of Central Berkshire District Court.

No Show, the Cowardly Campaigner

You recall the lay-about No Show ducked campaigning against Mark Miller to avoid facing question on “the fix” engineered last year to land him the plush magistrate’s position. No Show took the coward’s way, which fit in perfectly with his porcine non-actions in just about every public position he’s ever held. No Show is a “lawyer” who hasn’t practiced for years. He couldn’t make it in the Dreaded Private Sector, and so he cashed in on the family name and hired on as Jimmy Ruberto’s city solicitor. The next thing you know, ol’ Jed’s a millionaire.

No Show then sold out to the unholy deal that led to Peter Larkin’s resignation of his state rep’s seat about a half-second after his swearing in. Larkin landed a sweetheart position, and the GOBs gave No Show the piece of Third Berkshire District State Rep’s candy. Now, the fattened calf wants to lard up on an even more caloric position — clerk magistrate — so vital that it hasn’t been staffed for two years. Not only has no one noticed but also the courts have functioned better and more efficiently with no one in the job. That’s according to a source who’s working there now, running that office.

From Deval to Jimmy to No Show, With Love

Speranzo got the nomination for the magistrate’s post from Gov. Deval Patrick, who’s personal friends with Jimmy Ruberto, who rescued Speranzo from the trash heap of public “service” on “orders from above.” Naturally, all lips are sealed.

Yesterday, THE PLANET sent an e-mail to Governor’s Councilor Thomas Merrigan of Greenfield, opposing the nomination. We provided a long list of indictments against No Show. We can sum them up by saying, “He’s not worthy.” Fact chance — Merrigan is on record saying he’s going to support the nominee.

When asked by Councilor Jennie Caissie of Oxford if he had ever worked a job outside of the public sector, No Show replied, “Not since law school.” There’s a reason for that. Like many of the pigs that feed from the expensive slop that comes out of taxpayers’ pockets, No Show is unemployable in the Dreaded Private Sector. Who’d want the bum?

“There seems to be a glaring lack of experience here,” Caissie said in her grilling of No Show. “In you’re entire professional career, you’ve basically been a public employee. You’ve never received a paycheck that hasn’t come from the taxpayers of Massachusetts.” She’s saying this to the Profile in Courage, ladies and gentlemen, that the GOBs want to set up for a lifetime sinecure.

Make sure you get it: For $110,000 a year and bennies, he doesn’t have to do more than a lick of work. On second thought, No Show is eminently qualified for a job like that. The problem is, Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, your average working-stiff taxpayers, end up getting hosed.

“You could be there 50, 60 years as clerk magistrate,” said councilor Marilyn Devaney, Watertown, to No Show. “We take them out [on] stretchers, 94, 95 years old. Why do you think you’re more experienced than these people who have worked in courts, know the law, know the people, know the district, and they’re respected.” Ouch. And this is from a fellow Democrat. No Show is 38 years old.

Why Did the Governor Pass Over Two Assistant Magistrates Who Are Doing the Job Now?

Why did the governor, to Councilor Devaney’s question, pass over two assistant clerk magistrates currently working in Central Berkshire Court? Both have been running the office efficiently, by all reports. They are managing the office well. If that’s not enough, No Show acknowledged to councilors what we all — ALL — knew back in Campaign ’10, that he:

* (A) Applied for the clerk’s magistrate job while he was running for re-election

(B)Hid that fact from voters, despite numerous and repeated attempts to get the lout to admit the same. That’s why No Show ducked debates, failed to campaign, and hid from the voters and the press. Such is the corrupt state of local politics in the Berkshires that No Show felt comfortable enough with his decision not to worry about re-election. He “knew” he had it in the bag. Mark Miller, running a campaign of ideas and using fumes for funding, gave No Show the scare of his life.

Mary-Ellen Manning from Salem, another Democrat, tore No Show a new one. No Show claimed with a straight face (“Liar, liar, pants on fire …”) that he didn’t tell voters he was looking for the magistrate’s job because he wanted to protect the confidentiality of the judicial process. Excuse our prose, ladies and gentleman, but a whopper like that can only be handled with brutal honesty: What a crock of shit.

‘You Stole Their Votes’

“You stole their votes,” Manning shot back. “That’s what you did. … Anybody who uses public service and the cloak of public service for their own gain … is offensive. It was offensive to voters.”

During the hearings, No Show acknowledged that he has:

Never run a private law practice

Never participated in a trial, and

Never participated in criminal proceedings.

How’s that for a resume for the top managerial job in the court?

The biggest gob of guano came when the idiot No Show denied that stinking politics had anything to do with his appointment: “I believe that public service is a very honorable profession.” [TRANSLATION: I’ve fattened my plump cheeks on the taxpayers’ dime]. “The reality is, I am an elected official, but I see that as just a further extension of public service.” [TRANSLATION: The reality is that I’m a lard-assed product of the GOB system that’s been screwing taxpayers in Pittsfield for a generation, and my very presence here today is just a further extension of the corruption].

Despite THE PLANET’s e-mail, Merrigan says he “fully intends” to support No Show. THE PLANET wonders how much bacon grease the GOBs promised for such loyalty … if any, of course.

Perhaps Central Berkshire Court’s presiding judge, Fred Rutberg, is correct. For the sake of argument, THE PLANET will go along with Judge Rutberg in saying there is a “desperate need” to fill the clerk magistrate’s post. OK. Granted. If so, THE PLANET knows one thing: The job CAN’T go to No Show.

Is there ANY Hope for We The People? The Vote on No Show Will Tell

The nomination of Chris “No Show” Speranzo to a lifetime job as clerk magistrate stands as a litmus test for whether or not We The People have ANY chance of reclaiming OUR government. If the governor’s council rejects the nomination, there’s still hope. If they approve, we can start writing the obit.

24 Responses to “VOTE ON ‘NO SHOW’ SPERANZO A LITMUS TEST FOR ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ — DO WE HAVE A CHANCE, OR DOES CORRUPTION AND POISONED POLITICS WIN AGAIN?”

My my why do politicians always do this stuff???? Why didn’t you great Governor just appoint David Kearns to this position and not put us all thru this??. I use David as example as someone that been there doing this job for years, and I might add a great job. But no one will question Mr. Patrick and us stupid voters will vote him again. Will you voters I never did and never will vote for him.

“Expect” elsewhere. I don’t “do” expectations, Jake.
Since you bring in the puzzling reference to religion, let’s just say I am Jesus, throwing tables in the temple and cleaning the house of God of thieves.

JAKE
Fail to see the logic of your comment.
To answer, I would not accept the editorship of the NY Times under any circumstances, but THE PLANET is not a public office, the way No Show’s job is. I have no obligation to “the public” except as I see fit. An alleged public servant cannot be allowed to get off that easy. The guy’s been feeding off the public trough all his professional life, for Jiminy’s sake. And I said nothing about the fact that should corruption win and No Show get the job, he will stick Pittsfield with a $40K bill for a special election.

its kind of ironic with patrick trying to clean up the corruption in the probation depts. and turns down competent lawyers for speranzo..i kind of wish that they would keep the stink in boston. id hate to be speranzo comming back home for his new job knowing how most folks feel about him…. hes been living off us for too long, time he gets a real job!!!

Are they against Mr. Speranzo because the job should not be filled by anyone or because he has not put in the time rubber stamping and kissing ass and of course bringing in pork.Really does not matter Governor Patric sucks and should be ashamed and Ma. should be ashamed for voting Patric in and lets not forget berkshire county for voting in that sloath Speranzo.

Maybe voters are getting what they deserve…….. Kerry, Patrick, Olive Oil, Barney from Mayberry, the one from Cape that sleeps with pages, and the list goes on and on. Then we have the local jokes Yep voters your getting what you deserve……

It is interesting that people always talk about the lousy politicians but seldom the good ones. I wonder, is it because there is no such thing? Are they all crooks but some just stand out more than others?

we really cant blame no show for getting on the gravy train, its like hitting the lottery, the only thing is the fix was on for this job. its buisness as usual in the bay state..thank god patrick isnt running again. tax payers get to pay no show heap big wammpum for a needless state job..

If Speranzo was defeated last election, he would have been an easier hire, asap. He has created his own wrongdoing. The taxpayers first and foremost concern is the MUSCLE FLEXING BY THE POLS and cost of the elections,both inappropriate. One, a power struggle and the other reckless spending again for another special election. Say no, to the appoinment.

Speaking of no-shows,heard there was a student at PHS that missed 60 days of school his senior year and well over 200 over all during his part-time gig at the school,but still received his dipliomia.Seems we have another Speranzo in the making.I know they lowered the bar to keep the graduation rate up,but seems like they dropped it on the ground.

You people seem to forget where you live. In the make believe world of Pittsfield, laws and rules can be form fitted to any given situation. If you have the power you can bend the rule into a circle if need be, to make it fit any given situation.

I am telling you….Pittsfield is a cartoon….it does seem real…but how could it be? Stuff like this should not be happening in the real world.